Orioles Checklist Of 2027 Needs Is Lengthy And Daunting

The Baltimore Orioles to-do list in 2027 is pretty exhaustive.

Always tends to be that way with baseball fraud Mike Elias in charge of a perpetual rebuild that’s going on nine seasons now.

Same as it ever was.

One lost season ends and Elias comes out and gaslights fans about all the corrective measures taking place, and he runs it back with a puppet skipper who has no business bossing an MLB dugout and they keep the grift going. Bad ball with bad fundamentals and Elias doing the same ‘ol things because his super computer tells him he’s right and he saves his billionaire boss, David Rubenstein, money and winning isn’t important to them.

Elias will come out at his season ending press conference Monday and whine about injuries and bad luck, make promises he’ll never keep about introspection he doesn’t possess; he’ll tell you how they’ll compete to win the AL East and want you to forget they are nearly a collective 40 games off the pace the past two seasons with three different overmatched managers at the helm in that span.

The fact that they are a bottom-eight team in baseball since June 21, 2024, you’re supposed to suspend disbelief and pretend it didn’t happen. But he has massive holes to fill on this roster, the answers are not on the farm, this is a terrible free agent class, and the trade market might be constipated by the pending work stoppage.

This guy has no chance. But here’s what he needs to acquire:

Leadoff Hitter

The Taylor Ward experiment was a disaster. But better than the Jackson Holliday experiment. It got so silly around here Pete Alonso got a crack. Gunnar Henderson is going to be dealt, but maybe not by the start of the season, but with his hit tool in the garbage he should be projected lower in the lineup if anything.

Dylan Beavers is still fringy. Blaze Alexander might be an oft-injured utility guy, who can get really hot. I can’t pretend I am trying to fix a perpetually-failing lineup with him penciled in at lead off. Since the start of 2024, Orioles leadoff batters are 20th in average (.246) and 20th in OBP (.323) and 16th in runs scored (call me silly talking about runs) and 21st in stolen bases.

It’s been a void way more years than not under Elias except for the Cedric Mullins 30/30 season. There better be a plan here.

Top Of The Rotation Arm

Sep 25, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Trevor Rogers (28) pitches against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Elias loves to collect innings eaters and middle of the rotation guys – No. 2/2.5/3 guys in his rotation. And that’s great. You need them. But if this team doesn’t have someone better than Shane Baz or Kyle Bradish to start Opening Day and, for bleeps and giggles, Game 1 of the playoffs, then this will fall apart.

And it will fall apart very quickly. They got lucky in a lot of ways with the rotation this season, including incredible health from the main guys (Chris Bassitt and Zach Eflin were hurt from the get up). That’s not likely to happen again.

I believe Trevor Rogers is far too erratic and prone to extremes to be the guy they need. But at the very least, in a bad free agent year, having his arm from the left side in this rotation would provide some cushion. If they think bringing someone like Bassitt (or Cole Irvin, Kyle Gibson, Charlie Morton, Jordan Lyles) back is nearly enough – and they probably do now that they are talking up all the kids on the farm – close up shop.

They probably need to trade for another one and it’s an Elias fetish – Corbin Burnes, Bradish, Baz, Cole Irvin. He likes trading for starters but needs one a lot closer to Burnes than not.

Closer

Sep 23, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Felix Bautista (74) throws during the ninth inning in Game 2 of a doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s not Ryan Helsley, though they are stuck with that broken down reliver the way they have been stuck with so many under Elias. It’s not Felix Bautista, either, though having him contribute in some capacity would be great. Thinking you are getting to October, let alone winning in October, without a real one is nuts.

It worked this season but this team was also never above .500 since April 14 and was always a joke, so it’s not like the season was on the line. They buried themselves in the first half again. That’s not real pressure.

There have been a slew of great ones available for years but the private equity guys running this franchise wanted nothing to do with that and the options will be thin this winter. Maybe you get one as part of the Henderson package.

Everyday Centerfielder

Yeah, I wanted to believe this could be Holliday. But he couldn’t handle that and they wouldn’t try it and he should end up being dealt himself, anyway. He needs a new start, people around him have to know that, and the O's can’t even pretend they have a clue how to develop him or know what to do with him.

Colton Cowser is a disaster at the plate, and I’d be shipping him out, too. They need real MLB players in the outfield, not five bad-to-middling options they throw at the wall with silly lineups to see what sticks. As of right now, even including Tyler O’Neill who they are too cheap to buyout, I don’t see one outfielder here I’d want to have 600 plate appearances next season, let alone three of them, let alone one I’d want in center everyday.

They probably need two outfielders who are worthy of facing lefties and righties. Since the start of 2024, they are 25th in OF avg. (233), 15th in OBP (.312) and 16th in OPS (.719).

Glove-First Shortstop

They need to get real about Henderson if they do keep him. He should be at third base and if they could ever truly build the kind of lineup Elias lies about constructing – a consistent, productive, top 10 lineup - then the SS could be an all-glove guy like what the Rays do.

If their up the middle defense doesn’t get markedly better, they are going to continue to blow baseball games with unearned runs and silly mistakes.

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